Grocery delivery encompasses the entire process of fulfilling orders purchased online or in-store and delivering these items. It’s a complicated process that takes into account a wide variety of payment process factors (delivery vs. Collection, delivery times, taking into account drivers and trucks to ensure accurate times, inventory at specific locations, etc. Until recently, most grocery chains didn’t have many grocery delivery options, unless they wanted to invest a significant amount of time or resources in creating or hiring other solutions.
The investment in new technology to create a reliable delivery solution was simply too large for all but the largest supermarket chains, especially since demand was relatively low. And since online sales represented a relatively small percentage of total sales, chains weren’t focused on developing a better solution that would put their logistics services under their control.
Scheduled Grocery Delivery
: While the average grocery delivery service used to be the next day or later, more and more chains are looking to offer same-day delivery service to better compete with major grocery stores. Convenience supermarkets, in particular, are taking advantage of consumer interest in the fast delivery of fresh produce.
However, without an automated delivery process, managing same-day, on-demand delivery can make it difficult to reduce shipping costs. Some of the major grocery platforms have taken control of a critical mass of the market, with Amazon, Walmart and Instacart leading the way. Its success is due to its exceptional service and selection, along with the ability to offer attractive prices and competitive grocery delivery services. The challenge for grocery stores today will be to reduce the leadership that these companies have by expanding the use of independent external fleets, maintaining a direct relationship with buyers and allowing greater speed, prices and availability of products.
Increasing accuracy, reducing waiting time and increasing production volume are the key objectives of most grocery retailers. Nick Schurman, Senior Director of Sales at Bringg As brands stop relying on a single vendor or market, they will explore more compliance options, vendors and services. Amazon and Walmart have made customers accustomed to exceptional convenience and speed. Their enormous infrastructure and delivery networks give them a clear advantage as a grocery delivery service by having an internal fleet already configured and ready to send customers wherever they are.
While grocery stores once considered Instacart to be the go-to solution for online order fulfillment, the loss of a direct relationship with customers has caused grocery companies to seek alternatives, such as using Instacart as part of a controlled, multi-fleet management solution for same-day and next-day local deliveries. As time goes on, more markets will take control of online logistics, creating restrictions and dependencies for grocery retailers. People looking for a new and simple cooking experience can choose to order meal kits from specialty stores, including receiving all the ingredients and instructions for meals and then cooking at home. Many grocery stores are also starting to offer prepared foods, such as salads and sandwiches, which blurs the line between a restaurant and a grocery delivery service.
Both ready meals and meal kits are gaining popularity as people spend more and more time at home. Safety and convenience issues are two important factors when shoppers are choosing where to buy food online. However, safety concerns mean that customers and drivers now have to keep their distance. If a few years ago, grocery stores were struggling to offer deliveries above the threshold, now they are marketing contactless delivery methods.
They will gain popularity as more brands digitize their last-mile delivery flow, including personalized elements such as proof of delivery, age verification (for alcoholic beverages), payment and tips. Today, very few grocery stores use in-house fleets because of the enormous expenses and investments needed to launch and maintain such systems. In the event that a grocery store decides to use an in-house fleet (alone or as part of a multi-fleet option), technology is the key to remaining efficient. Most grocery stores, including big brands like Albertsons in the U.S.
UU. In addition, Coop in Europe is using several delivery fleets and third-party DaaS to expand its delivery reach and offer the same delivery model in more locations. Every store and supermarket chain wants to offer the best possible grocery delivery services. To stay in the game, supermarket chains are taking the reins of their e-commerce business.
Many grocery brands invest in a grocery delivery solution as their online business expands. The best grocery delivery services provide accurate delivery times at checkout, deliver on time, and build trust with shoppers. Managing such a delivery service in hundreds or thousands of grocery stores requires a grocery delivery platform that can handle thousands of orders in different locations and fleets. The best grocery services provide transparent and accurate information and delivery times, as well as the ability to communicate with buyers if a certain item is out of stock.
Some customers may not want replacement products, others may want to replace an item with another specific product, and others may not care at all. This is a fundamental feature that the best grocery delivery platforms consider. Depending on the services offered, grocery stores will need access to the right technology and applications to ensure that their service is efficient and cost-effective, so that customers will continue to shop online in the future. It is estimated that, by 2030, there will be one micrologistics center for every 10 of the total of 40,000 grocery stores in the United States.
In other words, 10% of all grocery stores will offer delivery services from the store, why is this happening? Because shippers who choose to offer an on-demand service (also known as same-day or even an hour or two) rely on hyperlocal logistics locations, such as multifunction machines, and in-store shipping options. Technology comes into play here by automatically identifying the availability of local inventory and presenting relevant options to consumers at checkout. Applications for warehouse and grocery store equipment help employees pick up, prepare and organize orders. This includes properly managing cold and frozen orders and ensuring that items are packed at the right time and shipped in vehicles with the necessary storage capacities.
The right apps and technology allow grocery stores to offer a seemingly instant service, which answers a real problem for online shoppers who need products quickly (for example, milk, eggs, bread) and don’t want to leave home (for a wide variety of reasons, including security). However, there will continue to be demand for shipments scheduled for several days, especially for larger orders that include non-perishable products and essential items purchased in bulk. If grocery stores want to be able to manage multiple fleets flexibly and not be locked into one, they will need the necessary software solutions. The more expensive it is for supermarkets to fulfill the order, the higher the shipping fee.
Automating order fulfillment, from the collection and storage of food in the warehouse or place of dispatch, to the driver, can significantly reduce the costs related to fulfilling orders and, subsequently, shipping rates. The experience will be fully digitized. More and more grocery stores are offering shoppers a branded grocery delivery app where they can not only buy food, but also compare the shipping rate for each service at checkout, track their order, save their shopping list, and even communicate directly with supermarket staff. As grocery companies move to managing orders with more third parties, this comprehensive brand experience is becoming increasingly important to preserve the relationship with shoppers.
Regardless of who makes the delivery, that service must be linked to the supermarket brand. This, together with the commercialization of grocery delivery, is why supermarket chains are striving to digitize the fulfillment of their last-mile orders. Integrating the right technology will provide much-needed transparency and accuracy, and will increase satisfaction with a company’s grocery delivery services. For more information, see Bringg’s local last-mile solutions for groceries.
What are the main trends in the grocery industry? What is the future of grocery shopping? The future of grocery shopping is online. According to EY Research, 44% of global consumers will make more purchases online, as their goal is to live a more risk-aware life. To keep up to date, grocery stores must adopt current trends and ensure that their technology is up to date. Are grocery services cost-effective? Yes, they can be.
However, in order for grocery stores to benefit from buying food, they must maintain maximum efficiency, including investing resources in achieving efficient order fulfillment and improving customer experiences. Zahava is a marketing director at Bringg, with a unique view of delivery and retail trends. He has extensive experience in the analysis of disruptive technology and its impact on both markets and companies. The platform offers a quick option for retailers looking to add online grocery delivery solutions to their list of services.
Grocery delivery apps can change boring traditional shopping methods in a unique and convenient way. Not only should delivery times be tight (no one wants to sit around all day waiting for food to arrive), but orders must arrive on time. The expense of physical inventory and storage is significantly reduced in online grocery stores, while local grocery stores have to look for ways to maintain the same expense if they want to offer services similar to those in online stores. Rappi, based in Bogotá (Colombia), is an example of a multivertical delivery application that combines food delivery with other procedures (through services such as RappiFavor or RappiCash), while Uber Eats and DoorDash have begun to explore the possibility of stacking orders as part of their food offerings.
Shopping without a membership typically results in higher shipping and service charges per order, which can vary depending on the subtotal of the order and how quickly you need grocery deliveries. These new categories attract new customer segments, increase the average value of orders and allow deliveries to be stacked to help maximize the efficiency of each shipment.